1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a record/reproduction controlling apparatus that allows the user to easily select a program to be copied when a digital signal such as an audio signal and/or a video signal reproduced from a first record medium is recorded to a second record medium, a method thereof, a record controlling apparatus thereof, a method thereof, a reproduction controlling apparatus thereof, and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of reproducing apparatuses that reproduce digital audio signals from record mediums or recording/reproducing apparatuses that record/reproduce digital audio signals to/from record mediums are known. As apparatuses that record/reproduce digital audio signals, CD (Compact Disc) players, MD (Mini Disc) players, MD recorders (recording/reproducing apparatuses), DAT apparatuses (digital audio tape recorders) are known.
A dubbing operation for a digital audio signal or an analog audio signal is commonly performed between these apparatuses.
When the user performs the dubbing operation, he or she should designate a program to be recorded. When the user dubs a program reproduced from a CD to an MD, he or she should designate a part of or all of programs recorded on the CD so as to record the program(s) to the MD. When the user uses a CD changer, he or she selects a desired program from programs of a plurality of CDs so as to reproduce the selected program and record the reproduced program to an MD.
In the case of an MD changer, a plurality of recordable record mediums are loaded to the apparatus and programs are selectively recorded to the recordable record mediums.
To dub desired programs in a desired program order, the programs reproduced by the reproducing apparatus in the desired program order are recorded by the recording apparatus.
As another dubbing method, the user selects program names to be dubbed. The selected program names and the selected program order are stored to a memory. The reproducing apparatus reproduces the programs corresponding to the program names and program order stored in the memory. The recording apparatus records the programs in synchronization with the reproducing operation of the reproducing apparatus.
In the case of a changer of which a reproducing apparatus or a recording apparatus can load a plurality of record mediums and select one of the loaded record mediums, the user should designate a record medium on the reproducing apparatus side or a record medium on the recording apparatus side.
When the user dubs desired programs, with reference to liner notes and/or jackets of CDs thereof, he or she should designate the programs one by one using numeric keys or the like of the reproducing apparatus.
In the case of the CD changer, the user should designate not only program names, but his or her desired record mediums.
In the dubbing operation, sometimes, the user should designate a program order. The operation of which the user designates both programs and program order is referred to as a programmed reproducing operation. In the case of a record medium such as an MD of which the program order of recorded programs can be changed, the user designates the program numbers using the numeric keys or the like. Thereafter, the user changes the program order with the numeric keys or the like.
Thus, in the conventional program selecting operation, record medium selecting operation, and program order changing operation, the user should input information of a program name, a record medium, and a program order for each program. Consequently, the user should adversely spend a long time to perform the input operation.
Without reference to a liner note or a jacket of a CD, the user cannot know the contents (such as program names and program order). Thus, the user cannot know programs that can be selected or that have been selected.
With a medium whose program order can be changed, the user should input relevant program numbers with the numeric keys or the like. In addition, the user should input program numbers for changing the program order with the numeric keys or the like. Thus, the user cannot effectively perform the input operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a record/reproduction controlling apparatus and a method thereof that allow the user to effectively perform a selecting operation for designating program names and program order so as to perform the dubbing operation or editing operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a record controlling apparatus and a method thereof that allows the user to effectively perform a program order changing operation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a reproduction controlling apparatus and a method thereof that allows the user to effectively perform a program order selecting operation.
A first aspect of the present invention is a dubbing system, comprising a reproducing means for reproducing a program and management information from a first record medium on which a plurality of programs and management information are recorded, a recording means for recording a program reproduced from the reproducing means to a second record medium having a record area for recording a program and a management area for recording management information for managing the program recorded in the record area, a storing means for storing the management information reproduced by the reproducing means, a displaying means having a first display area and a second display area, the first display area displaying the management information that is read from the storing means, the second display area displaying the management information that is recorded in the management area of the second record medium, an operating means for controlling a cursor that designates a particular position of the displaying means, a controlling means for designating a program to be recorded from the first record medium to the second record medium when desired management information displayed in the first display area is designated and then the desired management information is moved to the second display area by the operating means, and a synchronous dubbing controlling means for controlling a synchronous dubbing operation of the recording means and the reproducing means so that a program corresponding to desired management information designated by the operating means in the management information displayed in the first display area is reproduced from the first record medium and that the reproduced program is recorded to the second record medium.
A second aspect of the present invention is a controlling apparatus, connected to a reproducing apparatus and a recording apparatus through a bus line, for controlling a synchronous dubbing operation of the reproducing apparatus and the recording apparatus, comprising a receiving means for receiving management information of a first record medium loaded to the reproducing apparatus and management information of a second record medium loaded to the recording apparatus, a display data generating means for generating first display data corresponding to first management information received by the receiving means and generating second display data corresponding to second management information, and a controlling means for controlling the synchronous dubbing operation of the recording apparatus and the reproducing apparatus so that corresponding to the movement of a cursor between a first display area corresponding to the first display data generated by the display data generating means and a second display area corresponding to the second display data, a program designated in the first display area is reproduced by the reproducing apparatus and the reproduced program is recorded by the recording apparatus.
A third aspect of the present invention is a controlling method for a dubbing operation performed by a reproducing apparatus for reproducing a program and management information from a first record medium on which a plurality of programs and first management information for managing the programs are recorded, a recording apparatus for recording a program reproduced from the reproducing apparatus to a second record medium having a record area for recording a program and a management area for recording second management information for managing the program recorded in the record area, and a controlling apparatus for controlling the reproducing apparatus and the recording apparatus, the reproducing apparatus, the recording apparatus, and the controlling apparatus being connected with a bus line, a program being sent from the reproducing apparatus to the recording apparatus so as to perform the dubbing operation, the controlling method comprising the steps of displaying a first contents list corresponding to the first management information received from the reproducing apparatus and a second contents list corresponding to the second management information received from the recording apparatus, designating a desired program on the first contents list with a cursor and moving the cursor to the second content list so as to decide a program to be recorded from the first record medium to the second record medium, and controlling a synchronous dubbing operation of the recording apparatus and the reproducing apparatus so that the desired program designated by the cursor on the first contents list is reproduced from the first record medium and that the reproduced program is recorded to the second record medium.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of a best mode embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.